Bookbinding means



Jan. `25, 1938. R A wlLLlAMS 2,106,511

BOOKBINDING MEANS Filed June 16, 1936 .Erie- INVENTOR. ober AmigoWiiam/s HIS ATTORNEY.

of the sheets or signatures.

Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES .eM/ENT orme-EL y BooKINmNGMEANsRobert Anmz Williams, chicago, Y111. Application June 16,1936,,Seria1-No. 85,4471

16 claims. 01'. 2in-L25) This invention relates to bookbinding means,and has for a particular object the provision of a `means applicable tothe .art of edition bookbinding.

"The invention resides in the novel combination and form 'of parts, `tobe hereinafter particularly described in View of the annexed drawing inwhich:

Fig. 1 isfarperspective View of a complete book bound in 'edition style;

`Fig. 2 is a Vertical section taken along 4the lines 22-2 of Fig. "1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken alongthe lines3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4lis an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the lines lI-Il ofFig. 2, While Fig. 5 isran exploded perspective view 'of the book ofFig. 1.

The present invention is directed particularly tothe art'o'f editionbookbinding and is adapted to simplify the heretofore elaborate andexpensive methods peculiar to this art, with a -iparticu'lar View Ytoeliminating certain of the -more complicated Aand expensive stepsnecessary in themethods of 'modern edition bookbinding, and at theSametime lto provide ka 'binding which is superior to -any heretoforeknown in the matter of simplicity and ruggedness and 4novelstructuralfeatures.

Referring to Fig. 5, the method contemplates the preliminary steps ofcutting and folding 'a pliuality of printed sheets `into 'folded groupsAor signatures Il) and gathering `these into an initial bookform oroutline, each signature being itself inthe nature of a small unboundsheaf or book, and the group of signatures vbeing preferably gathered inthe form shown, and stapled as by the Wire staple I2, shown'in Eig."2,to facilitate the handling of =rthe gathered signatures inthe succeedingsteps of the method. 'These cutting, .gathering and Ifo'lding operationsare usually accomplished by automatic machine `means wellknown in theart.

When thesignatures aregathered in `bookform and stapled for'handlingthey are Aprovided'with a 'lateral key or Wedge slot II (Figs. '2 and`5) adjacent the rear longitudinal extremities of the signature folds,and these slots are directed substantially toward'the center of thebook'form and individual signatures thereof` at an angle `preferably :of45 degrees relative to `the lateral axes The formed signatures are thenrepresented in the completed step generally indicated at A in Fig. 5.

Subsequently a pair of cover boards I4 having suitably` beveled :rearlongitudinal edges t4 :are joined lby :a iiexiblehinge Vmember itS@which -fmay be iof fabric or :the llike and which fisl.preferably glued:by methods also Well-known in fthe art to theinnerss'rdesoffthe coverboards 1I 4 fifnthe'region :5; thereof iadgacent the saidflongitudin'al'fbeveled edges I4..

The hinge membery I6 :may then be 'provided with fa lateral key slot lillcorresponding'to the key 7islot 'Il .iin the 'formedsignatures -abovedel0 scribed,l orthe' slot "N lmay have @been previously applied to fthehinge Vfstripsas desired.

In this condition rtheassembled covers I 4 joined by the ehinge VI6wvi'llform What istermed a Casing `represented by Jrthe step genelallyindicated l5 at.B'inFig. 5.

'The @casing B :may then Vbefiittedup'on 'the ibook form 'A "so .thatthe respectivekey slots II-'and III" are registered, whereupon Ja *keymember for wedge 20, gtheV form of lwhich 'will `"be hereinafterparticularly-described, "'is inserted in Ythe -registered fslots lII`and IIII' 1in such vmanner'tha't the lower key surface 2-2 thereofrests snugly Within the said slots (seeFig.i2-particularly). This stepofthe procedurey is generally indicated at VCin Fig. 5.

Atthis ljuncture the paper end sheets I8, :being the louter 'leaves ofthe outermostsignatures -or sections I0, `may be-suitably glued Vto theVinner orback' sides ofjeach ofthe respective covers I4, so as to lcovery'the Aentire vinner surfaces 'thereof andparticularly tlnejuncture` ofAthe hinge member I6 with the said cover boards (see Figs. 2andBparticularly) l l 'Thereafter la rigid backbone `member or backingchannel "34g, a preferred form and construction of `Which will .behereinafter Iparticularly described, is fitted upon the `combined casingand book form so that its free longitudinal vedges A36 insidewallsVthereof substantially confront the rear longitudinally .extensive.beveled edges lI4' .of the ,cover I4. -Thisstep beinggenerallyrepresented -at.D 'in Rig. 5, the result of Whichis shown inassembled fform. in Figs. 2 and 3 particularly.

.By .the foregoing method of binding a number of heretoforeinecessaryYsteps .peculiar to -the art of `edition .bookbinding .are eliminated,as those skilled yin theartwill readily recognize. In particular, the.necessity `for sewing the ,signatures together in any of the severalrecognized Imanners :is eliminated, as is also the heretofore essenti-a1.-step 1of gluing-up'of the signatures for rounding and backing. Inaddition, the `present .method-makes `unnecessary thevlheretoforeJrequired step of casing-in which included gluing the signatures intothe cover.

By the elimination of the foregoing particularly specified steps whichare recognized as essential in the art of edition bookbinding asheretofore practiced, I have correspondingly eliminated the need forcertain expensive machinery and handling operations involved in theseprevious methods, and, while I am aware that other methods have beenproposed for the elimination of certain of the foregoing steps, themethod here presented provides an edition bound book which is superiorin the matters of simplicity and ruggedness to anything thus fardeveloped, as will appear from the following particular description ofthe novel keying and channeling members used in my above describedmethod.

A preferred form of a keying or wedging member 20 for use in the abovedescribed bookbinding method is desirably constructed of metal and has avertical wall 2| with an angularly disposed keying or locking surface 22and opposite side wings 24 and 25 (Fig. 5). This member 20 mayconveniently be struck from a suitable die in large numbers for use inthe binding operation.

The backing channel 34 is also preferably made of metal and has oppositeside Walls 35 corresponding generally in their lateral Width to thewidth of portions 24 and 25 o-f the key member 20 and is so dimensionedthat the said key member may be slidably tted therein with its verticalwall 2| confronting the bottom portion of the channel 34, the wingportions 24 and 25 sliding against the walls 35 of the channel member.

In placing the backing channel 34 upon the cased book in conformancewith step D of Fig. 5, the channel member may be slid 'longitudinallyupon the hinge portion of the cased signatures after the keying members20 have been applied thereto in the manner indicated in the dotted linerepresentation of Fig. 1. Or, if desired, the channel member 34 may bepressed or formed directly upon the said hinge portion of the casedsignatures after the keys have been inserted, and for this purpose theside walls 35 of the channel member may be spread apart slightly tofacilitate such application and thereafter the said side walls 35 may bepressed or crimped to compressably grip the fold portions of thesignatures, together with the hinge portion of the casing, and thusrigidly secure the several members, indicated in the steps A to D, inFig. 5, in the assembled relation shown in Fig. 1.

In either of the above alternative methods of applying the channelbacking to the cased signatures, the free longitudinal edges of the sidewalls 35 of the channel 34 are bent back upon themselves to provide thelip portions 38, which are adapted to confront the free longitudinaledges 24' and 25 of the wings 24 and 25 of the key member 2D, and inthis manner the said key member is secured for slidable longitudinalmovement in the channel member 34, but will resist any displacementlaterally of the channel.

In like manner, the lateral edges of the side walls 35 of the channelmember 34 are bent back upon themselves to form lip portions 39 whichare adapted to confront the lateral edge portions 29 of the key member20, when the latter is secured in the channel, and are adapted to limitthe longitudinal movement of said key members therein. It will thus beapparent that with either of the alternative methods of applying thebacking channel to the cased signatures with the key member in place,that is to say by sliding the channel in a longitudinal direction uponthe casing, as indicated in Fig. 1, or by placing the channel squarelyupon the cased signatures and thereafter crimping it into place, thesaid key member will be securely engaged and its movement thereinlimited in the particular manner set forth. However, should the slidingmethod of applying the channel member be used, it will be apparent thatthe lateral edge extremities of the channel side walls 35, which formthe lips 39, will necessarily be left in their originally extendedcondition, as indicated by the dotted line representation in the upperpart of Fig. 2, and after the channel has been thus applied the saidedge portions may be pressed into place to form the lips 39, as shown inFig. 5.

By the use of my improved method and binding means, books, andparticularly those in edition form, are very ruggedly bound withparticular respect to the securing of the signature sections againstmovement in any direction relative to one another, or their backing orcasing, and also from tearing-out of folds or leaves Vof the individualsheets comprising the signatures, and other deformations to whichedition-bound books manufactured by previous methods are commonlysubject.

It is also important to observe that my novel binding permits the use ofcovers of any Weight, and that whereas the covers provided in methodsheretofore used were secured to the formed signatures largely throughthe medium of the end sheets, the covers in my present construction aresupported entirely by the hinge member I6, which may be attached to thecover members as securely as the circumstances may warrant, the hingemember being held in assembled relation to the signatures by theconjoint action of the keying members 20 over limited surface areasthereof, and the compressing and binding action of the channel memberover its entire areas.

Attention is also called to the fact that th keying member, once it isinserted in the key slots, can move in only one direction, namely, outof the said slots at the particular angle at which they are pitched; andthat movement in any other direction is entirely prevented, for thelocking action of the key member increases in substantially directproportion to the displacing stress which is put upon it. When thechannel member has been assembled with the key member, the latter isincapable of displacement in a direction to remove it from the key slotssince the companion key member, being pitched oppositely to the firstkey member, prevents any pivotal movement of the channel member, whichwould be necessary to move the other key member of the pair out of itsslot. The resulting binding structure is therefore extremely rugged andmakes possible the production of edition books which will withstand avery high degree of abuse; and this advantage, together with othersalready pointed out, distinguishes the invention as a decided advance inthe art of edition bookbinding.

It will be understood that the number of keys or wedges which may beapplied to a given book in the practice of this method is not restrictedto two. In heavier books, for example, it may be necessary or desirableto apply multiple wedges 29, and where this is done, I prefer to cut apair of key slots l I at a distance from the middle line of thesignature form, and on either side of the staple l2 (Fig. 2), and theselatter slots il" are also preferably pitched at an angle of less than 90degrees relative to the lateral axis of the grouped asocian 3signatures, the lon'gitudina'l lfaxis, r`-o'fcourse, fb'e'ing thatparallel to the foldedfedgesof the Vsi'gfna'tures l5. `fBut, Whereas thefendm'ost wedges-2ll yare pitched iconvergently toward ith-e icenter ofthe book or the center Iof fthe `plane iof #the several sheets of thesignatures, and :thus toward each other, 1I prefer to slant the innerpair o'f Wedges 2U vaway from the said center of the :book form and in a:convergent direction relative to their respective endmostkeysrorvWedgesZll. "1I-linge slots H", cutin theoover hinge f6, wherekeys20'1are used as `indicated `'in Fig. l2, fare I'correspondingly slanted.

I also nditcOnVenent inthe practice fof this method Where theaforementionedfdivergling lcentra] -key slots are employed, to form fthecentral Wedge v2li with integral lkey surfaces 222", fand thus expeditethe manufacture rof the wedges for keys vas Well -as the 'method by'which the 'ibook is bound in edition style.

1t should ffurther be :explained that my lmetho'd, where-it referstocasin'g-'infandfthe cas'ingrepresented in step B of Fig. 5, refers tothe igenerally used term by which the step o'f `pr-ovidingthe book formwith a-#coverji-s known to those familiar with the art fof edition`=b`ookloinding. And in 'this regard,'I desire to `-point out that I fdonot intend to be restrictedto lthe form o'f casing shown in Fig. 5, stepB, wherein the cover "boards t4 have a'rear longitudinal beveled'edge I4and are joined by a cloth or vthe llikev hinge strip 176.

The casing to befused -in step B Vof lFig. -5 'may be Iofthefull-c'lo'thlcoveritype in Which'the-'cover boards have no rearbeveled "edge Hl', 'and the cloth llS is'extendedentirely overrthe-cover boards in such manner that they are completely encased inclothand preferably have asdou'ble Ithickness of cloth or fabric overthe hinge -portion,-one facing the outer most side 'of vthehinge part'(|16) and the other, facing 'the innermost sideo'f ithis hinge part.

Where the type of casing justabovedescribedis used, the vsliding methodof 'applyingthe'channel or backbone member=34 as indicated in the dottedlines of Figs. 1 and "2, :is particularlyconvenient, and it Willbeapparentthat when lthe Tull-cloth covers such as described are V`used,the )juncture between the hinge `part 'and the 'cover boards, which isvisible'inthe endw'ise section 'of Fig. 3, is less pronounced, sincetherewill be'another thickness of cl'othpassing from the topmojstsurface of the cover (and also the bottommost) Aunder the side wall 35`of `the 'channel :34.

summarily, 'the heretofore commonly -practiced methods of binding booksin .edition stylehaverequired the sizing, 'foldingandgathering of sheetsinto signatures; sewing or stitching the signatures; ,gluing-up thesignatures 'for rounding and backing; rounding and backingthevsignatures; gluing a lining clothron thebackboneof the signatures;gluing the lining (orhinge) clothontocover boards to form a case orcover; andrnally casingin by gluing therend sheets .of .the signaturesonto the inside surfaces of the .casezor covers.

In accordance with ythe `present `invention, the binding of a bocklineditionstylezis.accomplished lby the following steps:

.tures (C) Keying the said casing LAand signatures ltogether;

(D) And-compressibly securing said keyed'casclaim ian'diparticularlydesiretoprotect by Letters PatentoftheUnited States is:

i1. .A book comprising sa plurality of gathered signatures having:lateral slots cut at an oblique angle iin Atheliinge 'portions thereof,a cover `for saidibook including-:apair of cover boards hingedly joinedand havingxopenings inthe yhinge `part thereof =in registration `withsaid slots in said signatures, .Ia lplur'alityof 'key members .eachhaving an 'obliqu'ely disposed fkey part `linserted in said registered:slots and 1a `longitudinally extensive channel member ittedupon thesaid signatures and ihinged :partfo'f said Ycovers fan'dhaving partsgrippingly y engaging the aforesaid signatures and cover fmembers i'andthe said rkey members in assembled relation.

f2. A 'book "comprising: fifa 2.plurality of folded sheets-gathered ingroups -with theirfold portions in superposed relation 4and havinglateral slots cut into `said lsheets :across "the fold portions hereofat-'an oblique fangle irelative to the long member including tcovervboards.'hingedly joined and :having `a cut-away portion :inregistration with the said slots in said :folded sheets; a pluralityoffkeymembers-each'having a bottom Wall and fa spairof fopp'ositelydisposedfside Walls'with a 1 key part 'extended :between the "said vsidewalls at an L'.obliquexangle Sto :theisai'dbiottom walLsaid key membersfbeingitteduponsaid folded sheets and cover members-.inassembledfrelation so that lthe said "key rpartszarefitted into 'thesaid registered slots with .the .said fbottom walls thereof fittedsubstantially against the folded edges of said sheets and ltheihingepartof saidrcovers thereon; and:arbinding.memberin'thefformof alongitudinally extensive'channel'spiece:ha-vingbottomand i side wallsand -)fitted onto .the said :'foldedsheets 'and icoverrmemb'er-With thebottom Wall thereof in confrontation Iwith .the said ibottomV Wall ofvsaid key smembers fand the Vsaid :hinge member, and

having :itsfsideiwalls ,clamped upon the said 'hinge r member'and sheets'thereinin the region adjoiningthefsaidifolkzbparts,` thefedgeextremities of the said ibottom 'and side Walls of Isaid .channel memberbeing lbent jback'zupon :themselves to form lip .parts fior limiting thefmovemezit of 'said key i members.

.A-bopk vcomprising .alplurality of gathered sheets having a-pluralityof lateral lslots cut obliquely into 4an edge `thereoa'plurality of U-shaped keying clamps tted-uponi-said edge, vsaid clamps :each having :akeying tongue extended obliquelyfrom the bottom thereof. and into asaidslot,fandafU-shaped backbone member fitted upon .said 'edgeand :thelclampstthereon With its side portionsflrmly clamped :upon theAoutermost ones'of said :sheets k\in thefregion adjoining said edgethereof, said ybackbone having parts along itsiedge portionsforretaining said-clamps therein.

4. A .book .comprising :.a v.group of superposed sheets havingregistered lateral slots cut obliquely into the sheets along one edgethereof, and binding means including locking keys in the form of membershaving a back surface fitted against the slotted edge ofl said group ofsheets and each said member having a keying tongue part extended intoone of said slots and having side surfaces overlying the outermost sidesof the group of sheets in the region adjacent said edge, said meansfurther including a grooved member having .a bottom surface fitted uponthe slotted edge of said group of sheets and the key members thereon andhaving a pair of opposite side surfaces extended from the said bottomsurface thereof and clamped upon the outermost sides of the group ofsheets'adjoining said slotted edge and upon the said side surfaces ofsaid locking key members, said grooved member having parts securing saidlocking key members against withdrawal therefrom.

5. A book comprising a group of superposed sheets having a plurality ofregistered, lateral slots cut obliquely into one edge of the group, anda longitudinally grooved backbone fitted upon said edge and having aplurality of locking keys in the grooved part of the backbone, each ofsaid locking keys having a part-extended in a direction obliquely vawayfrom said backbone toward and into one of said slots, said backbonehaving parts turned back upon itself toward the grooved part thereof toprevent the withdrawal of said locking keys therefrom.

6. Binding means for leaf matter arranged in a stack, said meansincluding. a longitudinally channeled backbone fitted onto an edge ofthe stack and a plurality of recessed key members secured in saidbackbone against movement laterally out of the same and each fittedaround said edge of the stack and having an oblique lateral tongueextending into an oblique lateral slot formed in said edge, there beingone of said key members positioned near each of the ends of said stackedge, and said backbone having endwise parts engageable with said keymembers near the ends of the stack edge as aforesaid to preventlongitudinal movement of the backbone on said edge.

'7. A folio device including a stack of leaves having a binding edgeprovided with a plurality of lateral oppositely inclined oblique slotscut therein, there being one of said slots nearfeach of the ends of saidbinding edge, a plurality of locking keys fitted around said edge andeach having an oblique. tongue extended into one of said slots, togetherwith an elongated channelshaped backbone fitted onto said binding edgeand the keys thereon and having its longitudinal side portions closelyoverlying the side'portions of said stack adjoining said binding edge,said backbone further having its free edge portions turned inwardlytoward adjacent underlying portions of said key members and preventingseparation of the latter from the backbone and further preventinglongitudinal movement of the backbone on said edge.

8. A book comprising a stack of leaves having a binding edge providedwith a plurality of lateral slots cut obliquely into the stack, aplurality of locking keys fitted around said edge and each having anoblique tongue extending into one of said slots, and an elongatedbackbone strip fitted around said binding edge and the keys thereon andhaving free edge portions bent in a direction against said keys andpreventing separation of the latter from the backbone in a lateral senseand further preventing longitudinal movement vof the backbone relativeto said edge.

9. Aebook comprising a stack of leaves having a binding edge providedwith a plurality of lateral slots'cut obliquely into the stack in adirection away from said edge, a plurality of keying members each havinga bottom and adjoining opposite side portions and fitted onto and aroundsaid binding edge, each of said keying members further having a tongueportion extended obliquely up from the bottom thereof between said sideportions and extending into one of said slots, together with anelongated channel-like binding strip fitted onto and around said bindingedge of the stack and the keying members thereon and having free edgeportions bent back upon itself toward said binding edge and preventingseparation of saidV keying members laterally therefrom, and said bindingstrip having means at its ends preventing movement of said keyingmembers longitudinally out of the same.

10. A book comprising a stack of leaves having abinding edge providedwith a plurality of lateral slots cut obliquely into the stack in adirection away from said edge, there being one of said slots near eachend ofsaid edge and each of the latter slots being obliquely inclinedoppositely to the other, a plurality of key members each having a bottomand adjoining opposite side portions and fitted onto said binding edgeand each further having an integral, rigid tongue extended obliquely upfrom an end of said bottom between said side portions and said tongueseach being engaged in one of said slots, together with an elongatedchannel-shaped binding strip fitted vonto said binding edge and the keymembers thereon and having rims formed along its free edgeportions andpreventing lateral separation of the same and said key members and alsoeffective in cooperation with the said key members disposed near theends of said binding edge to prevent longitudinal movement of thebinding strip relative to said edge. y

l1. A book comprising a stack of leaves hav.- ing a binding edgeprovided with a plurality of lateral slots cut obliquely into the stackin a direction away from said edge, at least two of said slots beingoppositely inclined in an oblique sense, a plurality of locking wedgeseach shaped to fit around said edge` and each having a rigid integraland obliquely extending tongue, said wedges being fitted onto saidbinding edge with their respective tongues in one of said slots, and anelongated channel-shaped backbone fitted 'onto said binding edge and thewedges thereon and having longitudinal sidewall portions closelyoverlying the side portions of said stack adjoining said edge, saidbackbone further having means arranged along its free edge portionspreventing both lateral and longitudinal displacement of said backbonerelative to said wedges and said binding edge.

l2. A book comprising gathered leaves having a binding edge with aplurality of oblique lateral slots cut therein, a plurality of keys ofsubstantially channel-like cross section fitted onto said binding edgeof the stack and each having rigid oblique tongue portions extendinginto one of said slots, together with an elongated backbone fitted oversaid binding edge and the keys thereon and having longitudinallyextensive groove formations along its opposite sides and fitting overthe underlying edge parts of said keys, said backbone also having meansat its ends engaging the outermost ones of said keys and preventingmovement of the backbone in a longitudinal direction on said bindingedge.

13. Binding means for a stack of leaf matter and including an elongatedchannel member having therein a plurality of channel-shaped keys adaptedto move longitudinally in said. channel member, and the latter havingparts along its longitudinal free edge portions elective to preventmovement of said keys laterally out of the same, said channel member andthe keys therein being tted over an edge of said stack, each of saidkeys having a lateral tongue extending obliquely therefrom into saidstack and at least two of said tongues being inclined oppositely to eachother in an oblique sense, said channel member having means engagingsaid keys nearest the longitudinal ends of said binding edge to preventlongitudinal movement of the channel relative to said last-mentionedkeys and said edge.

14. Binding means for a stack of leaf matter and including an elongatedchannel-shaped member provided with longitudinally extensive grooves onopposite sides thereof, and a plurality of locking keys in said memberand each having opposite longitudinal side portions engaged in saidgrooves in a manner to permit longitudinal sliding movement of the keysin said member and eiective to prevent movement of the keys laterallyout of the same, the channel-shaped member aforesaid and keys thereinbeing fitted around an edge of said stack and each of said keys having atongue formation extended obliquely into the aforesaid edge of thestack, at least two of said tongues being oppositely inclined, and saidchannel-shaped member having means at its ends engaging endwise portionsof the said keys nearest the extremities of said edge and preventinglongitudinal movement of the channel member on said edge.

15. Binding means for book signatures and pages, said means including aplurality of locking keys disposed along the binding edge of saidsignatures or pages and each having a tongue extended obliquely intosaid signatures or pages and one of said tongues being inclined in adirection opposite to another of the same, together with an elongatedchannel tted onto said edge and the keys thereon and having its freeedge portions bent for engagement with said keys to prevent movement ofthe same laterally out of the channel and also to prevent longitudinalmovement of the latter relative to said keys and said signatures orpages.

16. A book including a stack of leaves, a channel-shaped backbone ofelongated form fitted around an edge of said stack and having disposedtherein a plurality of keys substantially channel-shaped in crosssection, each of said keys having an oblique tongue extended into saidedge of the stack and one of said tongues being inclined oppositely inan oblique sense to another one of said tongues, said backbone beingprovided with means along its free edge parts catching each of said keysagainst separation therefrom in a lateral sense, said means catching thekeys being further operable to prevent longitudinal movement of thebackbone relative to said keys in their assembled relation with thestack as aforesaid.

ROBERT ALONZO WILLIAMS.

